What a game for Adam Ghitelman. The Archers’ goaltender not only stopped nine shots in the team’s 17-8 win over Waterdogs LC on Saturday night, he added an assist and a two-point goal. And he did both in style.
Midway through the second quarter with Archers up 7-3, Ghitelman scooped up a loose ball near his crease and ran 65 yards downfield, making it to the Waterdogs’ arc before passing back to Scott Ratliff who beat Dillon Ward for a 2-pointer.
“He was a high school running back that could do it all; he’s probably better than me,” Ratliff joked after the goal.
Ghitelman then ended the game with a statement, firing the ball from behind his own net into the Waterdogs empty one. Initially it was waved off but after review was counted.
The goaltender’s strong play was evident on the defensive end of things, too. With 30 seconds left in the first half, Ghitelman blocked Mikie Schlosser near the side of the net which stripped the Waterdogs of a chance to narrow the gap before the half.
Marcus Holman led the Archers in the first quarter with a hat trick, while Will Manny contributed a hat trick later in the game. Grant Ament had a solid game with a goal and five assists. Tom Schreiber and Ryan Ambler each contributed a pair.
The Archers move to 3-0 on the season. They play twice next weekend, first against Chrome on Friday night and then against Whipsnakes on Sunday afternoon.
The Waterdogs came out slow and sluggish, fell behind quickly, and didn’t improve through the course of the game. By the fourth, they were still dropping balls and missing passes and were unable to get good looks at Ghitelman. Ward made 13 saves but was left out to dry by an offense that lacked any of the flair they showed in their last two games.
Ryan Conrad and Zach Currier each had two goals for the Waterdogs, who fall to 2-2. Next week they play Redwoods at noon on Saturday.
